GUADALAJARA: Former world number one Garbine Muguruza defeated Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 7-5 to become the first Spaniard to win the elite season-ending WTA Finals on Wednesday.

After trading breaks early in the match, the sixth seed chipped away at Kontaveit’s defences to convert on break point in the seventh game, as the Estonian put up four double faults throughout the first set, got roughly half of her first serves in and struggled with errors.

Playing in the biggest match of her career, Kontaveit regained her composure in the second set, converting on break point in the seventh game.

But she could not retain the momentum as the two-time Grand Slam winner refused to give in, firing off a mighty forehand winner in the 10th game to level the score and keep the set going.

Muguruza, who won nearly 70% of her first-serve points across the entire match, again broke Kontaveit’s serve to clinch the affair, crumpling to the court with her hands over her face before greeting her opponent for a hug at the net.

She became the oldest champion at 28 since Serena Williams in 2014, and finishes the season at third in the rankings, her best performance since 2017.

“I’m just very happy I proved to myself once again I can be the best, I can be the ‘maestra’, like how we say in Spanish,” she said.

“That puts me in a very good position for next year, a good ranking. How can I say? A good energy. It’s just the payoff for such a long year,” she added. My team and I worked hard. It pays off. Just shows us that we’re doing the right way.”

Muguruza said it was a delight to win “such a big, big, big tournament, the Masters, in Latin America, here in Mexico. “I think it’s just perfect,” she said.

Kontaveit will finish the year at seventh. The Estonian qualified last for the WTA Finals by winning 29 of 32 matches, including four titles in 10 weeks.

“I’d like to congratulate Garbine,” Kontaveit said as she accepted her runner-up award. “You’ve beaten me twice this week, that’s just too good.”

Czechs Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova remained undefeated at Guadalajara, the top seeds taking down Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-3, 6-4 in the final to win the doubles title.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021